Since Christmas I've picked up a new hobby. Now this one is nothing like my other hobbies... re-enacting, shooting, blogging. No this hobby is a little more... genteel persuasion. It started around Christmas, I took pity on the poor birds in the cold outside.

Then I put up some bird feeders. Of course this attracted squirrels that annoyed me. So I went on the war path against squirrels.

That lead me to go to a local store that specializes in feeding wild birds. Where I bought a "squirrel resistant" feeder. Along with some special feed that is supposed to attract a wider variety of birds.

I haven't gotten to the point that I've started jotting down and identifying the different birds I get, but I'm sure that time is coming. Although I do know that I have a lot of cardinals.

So yeah... Ktreva is making fun of me for this.

At least this is a cheap hobby!

Posted by: Contagion at 09:38 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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This video is in Japanese, but you can get the general idea of what they are talking about.

I need to get me one of these. I don't know how well it will work as an alarm clock, but it sure would be fun.

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Right now outside it's snowing pretty good. We've gotten about 8 inches of snow since yesterday evening. Now anyone that lives in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin has to know how to drive in the snow. Then again, sometimes the conditions get so bad that you just shouldn't be on the road.

Yea, it's like watching a ballet of stupid.

Posted by: Contagion at 01:05 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I know that some people like midgets. Okay, I find them fascinating. So when I found a post at Celebrity Fun Pictures that photoshopped celebrity pictures to give you an idea what some celebrities would look like if they were midgets.

Jennifer Anniston as a Midget

If you want to see more, go over and check out the whole post.

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I know that some people like midgets. Okay, I find them fascinating. So when I found a post at Celebrity Fun Pictures that photoshopped celebrity pictures to give you an idea what some celebrities would look like if they were midgets.

Jennifer Anniston as a Midget

If you want to see more, go over and check out the whole post.

Posted by: Contagion at 12:56 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Here's a video clip that I found really interesting. It's a series of time lapse pictures of the sky.

I found this over at Astronomy Picture of the Day. The website says it gives a different picture each day, but it hasn't been updated since December 31st.

Posted by: Contagion at 12:43 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I didn't even know they made remote control jets until I saw this video.

All I could think when I saw that jet crash in a fiery ball, is that the guy that owned it had to be pissed. Those things can't be cheap.

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When I was younger I remember getting a Nintendo, the original one. It came with a three in one game that had Duck Hunt, Super Mario Brothers and World Class Track Meet. I loved Duck Hunt. I spent hours sitting there shooting the ducks and clay pigeons.

Now I can play Duck Hunt online.

So if you like shooters, or just want to reminisce about the past, go wast a couple of hours shooting ducks. Unfortunately in this version you don't get to shoot the clay pigeons.

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damn you liver... it's time to turn you to stone!

Bad week at work, it's time to make my brain and liver pay for it.

Posted by: Contagion at 08:17 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Last weekend at Fort Obie, Petey of PeteyÂ’s Powderhorn decided that he wanted to jump up on the enablers list and gifted me a box full of beers to review. Thanks Petey! I started with the first beer in the box that I had been chomping at the bit to review. Tonight IÂ’ll be reviewing Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock by Samuel Adams in Boston, MA.

It comes in an impressive 1 pint, 9.4 fl oz brown bottle, aka 25.4 fluid ounces. The label looks like cast pewter, texture and all. The name of the beer takes up most of it. What looks like hops are flowing around the edge to the bottom where it kind of resembles tilled fields. The bottle cap is covered with a plastic wrapper, which reminded me of how wine is sealed.

There is a nice dark brown coloring to it with a touch of crimson to it. Light passes through with much difficulty. When I initially poured it, an inch thick tan head formed. The head was made up of tiny bubbles. The head fades to a ring around the top of the beer. There is no lacing at all.

The smell is very simply that of chocolate and cocoa. You can make out the feint scent of malts as it warms. The taste is very simple as well; itÂ’s mostly chocolate with a touch of coffee malts. There is a bit of bitterness to it that one associates with coffee and dark chocolate. The aftertaste is reminiscent of chocolate milk.

This is a medium bodied beer, based on the appearance I was figuring it would be a bit more full bodied.

This beer costs about $14.99 a bottle locally (Thanks again Petey!); to be honest I was expecting a lot more from it. ItÂ’s not a bad beer, but for the price itÂ’s really not worth it. Based on the price, the bottle and the marketing, IÂ’m going to say this is one of those beers that is drunk by people being pretentious. I enjoyed the beer, but it was lacking in its simplicity. Overall I give it a 5.5 out of ten.

Posted by: Contagion at 08:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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KTreva and I always have a war of the thermostat every winter. I like it cold, and she likes it so she can bake muffin's in the living room. That's right, she wants to make it so hot in the house she can bake with out the oven. Of course if you ask her, I like to keep it so cold you can hang meat in the house. We finally have to agree on a temp of around 70 degrees. It's too cold for her and way too warm for my likes.

For years she would sit under piles of blankets in the house so she could watch TV. However, when she was on a computer it wouldn't work. The blanket would keep falling off of her shoulders. Then in early December, before all of the surgeries, she saw a commercial for Snuggies.

Blankets are OK but they can slip and slide, plus your hands are trapped inside.

The Snuggie™ keeps you totally warm and gives you the freedom to use your hands. Work the remote, use your laptop or do some reading in total warmth and comfort!

Snuggie™ is made with super soft, thick, luxurious fleece with roomy, oversized sleeves that let you do what you want while still being totally wrapped in warmth.

Dude, Totally!

Ktreva saw this and went nuts. She really, really wanted one. After much discussion, including some whining and begging, I finally caved in and ordered her one. Which means that with their deal of buy one, get the second free (not including shipping and handling), I ended up ordering two.

For four weeks she has been bugging me about, "When is it coming?"

Today it finally arrived. She was so excited, she had to send me a text message telling me about it while I was at work. Then when I got home, she is sitting there all cuddled up under the damn thing typing on the computer. Then she had to call her mother to brag about it.

Folks, let me tell you that a snuggie is really nothing more than a bathrobe being worn backwards. Its a little bit longer, and there is no collar, but if you take an oversized bathrobe and wear it backwards you get the same thing.

At least for now I get to have fun making fun of KTreva and her snuggie. That is until she gets mad at me and hits me with something.

Posted by: Contagion at 07:01 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 Oh stop - you *know* that if Ktreva is happy YOU will be happy too, right?? Yay Snuggie!

Posted by: Richmond at January 06, 2009 08:25 PM (epR5V)

2 OMG you guys actually *bought* one... er... two of those things?? I was just making fun of it last night

Posted by: Shadoglare at January 07, 2009 07:42 AM (d4rgs)

3 I see those commercials all the time and I say the person that cant function just using a blanket has some serious issues or just needs to put on a heavy sweater.

Posted by: Quality Weenie at January 07, 2009 09:10 AM (nk1j5)

4 I happen to like my snuggie so kiss my boooooootay

Posted by: KTreva at January 07, 2009 11:07 PM (V7qLP)

5 We have tons of throws around the house because like Ktreva, I'm always cold. The best 2 are down filled. They are excellent and very warm... so I guess I don't need a snuggie. Heh. I'm glad Ktreva likes hers though - it's always good to be warm!

Posted by: Teresa at January 08, 2009 10:49 PM (ybEr8)

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Friday afternoon Wes and I left for the Quad Cities area to attend winter camp. This is the season opener for me. It was good seeing all the guys again. But just to give you an idea of what winter camp is like let me put it to you like, a lot of alcohol, cold winter night in a cabin, a lot of food that causes gas. Yea it was drunk out.

I'd tell stories, but what happens at winter camp, stays at winter camp.

Ktreva and I were planning on taking the family to Florida in a couple of weeks for the Alafia River Rendezvous. Unfortunately with her surgery and treatment schedule it's looking like it's just not going to happen for us this year. We are thinking of possibly going to the Rocky Mountain Nationals instead or the Midwestern Primitive Rendezvous in July.

We really want to hit a large national event and those are the two that look like we might actually be able to make this year. As much as we had been planning on doing the Alafia for a year and a half, it just doesn't seem like it's going to happen. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have Ktreva healthy and not do the Alafia, than do that Alafia and have her sick. That doesn't mean I can't lament not being able to attend.

Owell, we have time to decide on which one to do.

Posted by: Contagion at 08:50 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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2008 was a an interesting year for me. It started off really great, turned for the worse, and then at the last minute good news saved the year from being a total loss.

Now 2009 is here to great me. I'm thinking this is going to be a good year. I don't know, but I have a good feeling that things are about to start looking up for my family.

I hope that all of you have a good 2009.

Posted by: Contagion at 02:44 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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